Family Ties
by PsychicDreams
Summary: [Crossover with xxxHOLiC] Kazahaya never thought to ask about Saiga and Kakei's families...


This was inspired by a line in chapter 6 of Snippets by tenshineechan

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It had been an innocuous day. Rikuou had teased him mercilessly, Kakei had overloaded him with work, and he was tired. What else was new? He was just looking forward to his break when _it_ happened. Something terrifying that set his world upside down.

Saiga's _relatives_.

Kazahaya had never thought about Saiga's family, nor Kakei's, to tell the truth. It just never occurred to him to wonder about it. They never mentioned it and he had never asked. Part him had always sort of thought that maybe with their gifts, Kakei and Saiga were estranged from their families.

A usual customer that he had learned to pick out the face of had come in. He didn't know the name, but the sixteen-year-old boy came in at least twice a week to buy hangover remedies. It made him wonder what such a kid would need it for. He didn't _seem_ like the type to be a heavy drinker, given that he was always impeccably dressed.

This time he was arguing with someone he'd brought with him.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop following me?! I'm not _helpless_, you know!"

"That woman told me to," responded the taller companion in a deep, toneless voice.

Kazahaya stepped out from the aisle and smiled. "I was wondering when we'd see you again."

"Ah, Kudou-san," the boy responded with a polite smile. Thanks to the nametag he wore every day, the other boy had learned his name faster than expected. Perhaps he thought it was polite.

"Are you here for your usual?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"What's the usual, eh? Not something naughty I hope!"

That heavy arm could only belong to Saiga. He blushed brilliantly and struggled to get out from that hold, spluttering denials only to notice that the bigger man wasn't even listening to him. His eyes were fixed on something, and a look of shock on that face, as if he wasn't sure he should be happy or not.

Following that sunglass-covered gaze, he noticed it was pinpointed right on the taller boy next to his usual customer. The expression on the younger boy's face didn't change to him, but maybe the bespectacled boy did because he blinked in surprise and asked his companion, "What, you know him?"

Saiga let go of Kazahaya as if he were made of fire. "O-oi, how're you doin'?"

"Kazahaya, get over here and help me finish this!"

But since Kazahaya was too absorbed in what was about to transpire, he ignored his roommate until Rikuou came to fetch him. Upon seeing the tense situation, he paused. Kazahaya wasn't honestly surprised. Rikuou loved getting people's weaknesses then teasing them constantly.

The boy in question crossed his arms and tilted his head, finally speaking. What he said floored Kazahaya. He wondered if he should clean his ears, because there was no way that he could have heard that right.

"Mom says she wants you to come home to visit."

"How did you even know where I was?" Saiga demanded, hands on hips.

"Wait, are you Saiga-san's brother?"

"Cousin, actually."

Kazahaya turned when Kakei appeared out of nowhere in that uncanny way he had and smiled sweetly at his lover's relative. The expressionless golden eyes shifted to look at the store's owner and gave him a quick but thorough once over.

There was no way this stoic, expressionless person could be related to Saiga. It just defied all logic! Saiga was way too touchy-feely, and loved innuendos. He smoked and teased and slept all day! Despite the fact that they did look similar, this boy in front of him was completely controlled and nothing seemed to change about him. From what little he'd seen of this boy, they couldn't be more different.

"I've been waiting to meet you," Kakei continued and held out his hand. "My name is Kakei."

It didn't appear as if he was going to take Kakei's hand, but his regular customer kicked his companion and hissed, "You're being rude, you jerk!"

"Doumeki Shizuka."

There was a flash of something across Kakei's face and he lost his smile. There was a serious and at the same time worried look in his eyes. "Doumeki-kun, may I ask, do you know a woman named Ichihara Yuuko?"

"He works for her," Doumeki Shizuka replied and pointed at the smaller boy next to him in a matching school uniform.

"Hey, hey, hey," Saiga interrupted and pushed past Kazahaya to bear down on his cousin and for as tall as Doumeki appeared to be, he still didn't reach Saiga's height. "Don't tell me you got involved with _her_. You're going to worry your mother into an early grave! She's not safe!"

Apparently Saiga did not like this Ichihara Yuuko.

There was a flickering on Doumeki's face and suddenly the expressionless stare became a bit harder and it reminded Kazahaya forcefully of Rikuou when he was angry.

"It's my choice. I have to protect him."

All eyes turned to the boy next to him and the paler boy flushed a deep red, turning on his friend as quick as a mongoose sees a snake. "You jerk, I never _asked_ for your protection!"

"You just won't admit it."

It was the first time Kazahaya had seen such a side of his customer. Normally he was a polite and reserved boy, but it seriously looked as if he might blow up with rage, his face was so red. "_Don't you dare tell me what I think!_ I hate you, you stupid _jerk!_ Don't you dare follow me!!"

As if he forgot his original purpose for coming in, the slim boy turned on his heel and began to stalk toward the door. He'd just gotten a hand on the door handle before Saiga's cousin had turned around and began following.

"Hey, Shizuka." The boy paused and glanced over his shoulder. "Are you and he dating?"

Doumeki tilted his head and appeared to think about it. "Yeah, I guess we are."

His classmate froze, door still open and halfway in and out. Ever so slowly, he turned around and the stare he leveled on his companion was nothing short of terrifying rage. "_What_ did you just say about us?"

"This kid is reminding me more and more of you," Rikuou commented in Kazahaya's ear and he jumped, having forgotten about his partner. Rikuou's voice had distracted him and he didn't hear Doumeki's reply.

"_**JERK**_!"

The two voices melded in the air for that single word, but neither Kazahaya nor their steady customer seemed to notice, both too focused on glaring on the said vision of hated enemy.

"I hate family dramas," Saiga muttered as Kakei laughed and invited everyone tea in his office.

** End **


End file.
